Conveyer.



G. L. LAWTON.

GONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1914.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFTQE,

CHARLES L. LAWTON, 0F HANCOCK, MICHIGAN.

CONVEYER.

Application filed May 11, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. LAWTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hancock, in the county of Houghton and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Conveyer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to conveyers for transporting material by means of flowing water, particularly in localities wherein the difference in level between the receiving and discharge ends of the conveyer is insufficient to produce the current required to move the material. Its objectis to provide means whereby the material may be conveniently and economically separated from a portion of the water at one or more points along the length of the conveyer, and whereby it may thereafter be combined with water under pressure and elevated to a higher level from which it is carried on by the action of gravity.

This invention consists in the details of construction shown, described and particu larly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a section on the line l1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a conveyer in which my invention is embodied.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment shown, 1 indicates a launder or conveyer sect-ion partly filled with flowing water supplied from any convenient source and bearing sand or tailings 2 away from a stamping mill (not shown). This launder may be in the form of an open trough or chute comprising the usual sides 3 and 4:, and the bottom 5, the latter being preferably provided with a metal lining 6. The launder 1 merges at its lower end with a closed conduit or conveyer section 7 of rectangular cross-section. This conduit, as shown, is preferably of ogee shape in longitudinal cross-section, and comprises the bottom 8, sides 9 and top 10, and may be pro vided with the metal lining 11. The lining for the top is extended rearwardly in the form of a plate 12 into the launder l at an elevation slightly above the normal level of the'sand therein, and constitutes a dividing plate whereby the upper, or comparatively pure layer of the water is separated from the more intimate mixture of sand and water beneath. The said upper layer is conducted laterally and discharged at any con- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

Serial No. 837,653.

venient point by means of a trough or conveyer-section comprising a side le a bottom 15 and a side 16, the latter of which extends diagonally across the upper part of the launder 1 and connects to the opposite side 4 thereof.

The lower end of the bottom section 1 may be provided with a reinforcing plate 17, the lower edge of which is spaced somewhat above the upper edge of the lining 11 of the bottom of the conduit 7 and registering with the space between the reinforcing plate and the said lining is a laterally flared nozzle 18 of a pressure pipe 19, pro vided with the valve 20. Connected to the upper end of the conduit 7 is a second launder or inclined conveyer section similar to the launder 1, and comprising the bottom :22, lining 23, sides and rear wall 25. This second launder may lead directly to a point at which it is desired to discharge the tailings, or may connect to a second closed conduit and pressure pipe similar to that described.

Operation: As the liquid and material transported thereby reaches the edge of the plate 12, the upper layer of the liquid is deflected laterally into the trough 1-l1516 from which it is discharged at any convenient point. The remaining liquid and the material in suspension passes on beneath the plate 12, partly through the influence of gravity and partly because of the partial vacuum produced in the passage beneath the plate 12 by the action of the water from the nozzle 18 when the valve 20 is open. As soon as the mixture of sand and water falls down in front of the nozzle 18, it is struck by the blast therefrom and forced onwardly and upwardly through the section 7, which, being of an ogee form, offers a relatively slight amount of frictional resistance to its passage. From the upper end of the section 7 the mixture is carried away through the trough or section 2224-.

lVhile I have shown the various sections of this conveyer of particular form and cross sections, I do not desire to be limited thereto; and while I have explained the op eration of the device as applied to the transportation of tailings from stamping mills, it is clear that it is of general application, and may be used wherever it is desired to move material of higher specific gravity than the liquid in which it is to be conveyed. It is also clear that, in some instances, the pres sure pipe may be supplied with compressed air or steam, but I prefer to use water. do not, therefore, wish to be limited otherwise than as indicated by the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A conveyer for transporting solids by currents of liquid, comprising an open trough inclined downwardly and forwardly in the direction of its length, a wall extending transversely across the trough near its discharge end at a point a short distance above its bottom, whereby the upper layer of the liquid is separated and deflected from the lower layer thereof, a closed conduit receiving the remaining liquid and the material carried thereby from the first section, said conduit being inclined forwardly and upwardly in the direction of its length, and means for supplying liquid under pressure to force the mixture of liquid and solids through the closed conduit. r 1

2. A conveyer for transporting solids by currents of liquid, comprising an open trough inclined downwardly and forwardly in the direction of its length, a'wall extending transversely across the trough near its discharge end ata point a short distance above its bottom, whereby the upper layer of the liquid is separated and deflected from the lower layer thereof, a closed conduit receiving the remaining liquid and the material carried thereby from the first section, said conduit being inclined forwardly and upwardly in the directiotn of its length, and a flaring forwardly directed nozzle connected to a pressure pipe and opening into the receiving end of. the closed conduit, whereby liquid under pressure is supplied thereto to force the mixture of liquid and solids through the closed conduit. i

3. A conveyer for transporting finely divided' solids immersed in liquid of less specopiel of this patent may be obtained for a portion of its length and being so arranged as to divide the upper layer of liquid in the section from the lower layer, means associated with said dividing wall for discharging the upper layer of liquid thus separated, aclosed conduit for receiving the remaining liquidand the solids carried thereby from said section, said closed conduit having its discharge end located above its receiving end, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to force the mixture of liquid and solids through the closed conveyer.

' 4. A' conveyer for transporting finely divided solids suspendedun liquids of less specific gravity than the solids, comprising a launder having'a substantially horizontal partition spaced a distance from its bottom at its discharge end and having its walls so formed as to discharge a portion of the conveying liquid out laterally just above the partition, 'a closed conduit having'its receiving end connecting to 'the end of" the launder below the partition and inclining upwardly to a poin'tof discharge, and a nozzle connecting to the receiving end of the conduit' and to a source of liquid under pressure so that the liquid may be'forced up through saidconduit and carry the finely dividedsolids with it.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

" CHAS. L. LAWTON.

Witnesses:

' WJZM. BELL,

TENNEGE P. DE SOLLAR.

the Commissioner of Patents, 

